1. Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to peripherals for electronic devices, and more particularly, to a computer peripheral, more specifically an input device such as a foot pedal and/or foot and/or hand mouse, with active elements and/or structural features which are removable and/or adjustable.
2. Description of the Related Art
The drawbacks of existing non-cartridge foot pedals relate in part to the production inefficiencies of rigidly-set configurations. Pedals cannot be easily assembled as a general purpose subassembly and then configured for different uses and markets as needed. Users also experience drawbacks with the existing non-cartridge foot pedal due to the difficulty in carrying out repairs or changes in the field. For example, one conventional foot pedal family includes models using three different types of cables (short 2-pin connector, long mini-phono connector, long RJ11 connector) and two different types of switches (waterproof, non-waterproof). Furthermore, spring biasing forces or spring constants for a spring in this device can vary for different markets. It is impossible to accurately predict inventory requirements for each type and inefficient to order all these different versions to be configured by suppliers. Typically, cables and switches may be provided by one supplier and pedals from a different supplier. It is both difficult and time consuming to disassemble and reconfigure a conventional pedal for a different configuration.
Pedals normally must be designed to hold up under the force and impact of many foot actions, so they are not primarily designed for easy disassembly. In fact, this strength requirement makes foot pedals inherently difficult to take apart. Also this requirement to resist many impacts has led historically to bulky, high-profile designs. Low-profile foot pedals are more ergonomic and thus more desirable in that less bending of the ankle is required while resting and triggering it. Stronger modern materials and manufacturing processes allow low-profile designs which may be functionally and aesthetically preferred by users, but such pedals may nonetheless twist if pressed on an edge or corner, and thus fail to trigger properly, preventing the evolution of desirable modern designs.
Furthermore, some conventional pedals have mechanisms to adjust travel distance, which would simultaneously, and often undesirably, change biasing force. If it were desired to change biasing force in a conventional pedal, simply changing the spring, for example, would be difficult because of the difficulty of disassembly. If biasing force were made adjustable, it has not been possible to change force independent of travel distance with a compact, self-contained device. Additionally, conventional pedals are noisy to operate, which is not desirable in some operational environments such as an office or medical setting.
In addition, conventional peripheral triggering devices such as foot pedals and foot and/or hand mouse generated triggering noises on both down and upstrokes that are distracting and can cause wearing of components. Furthermore, conventional devices that have attempted triggering in regions spaced from the location of internal switches that detect triggering, such as in corners of a pedal or mouse trigger, typically result in inadequate activation of the switches.